Leprechaun is one of those classic horror movies that is so bad it's good. The plot is insane, the acting is over-the-top, and the special effects are laughably bad. But somehow, all of that comes together to create a fun and entertaining film. Warwick Davis does an amazing job as the leprechaun, and Jennifer Aniston is surprisingly good in her film debut. If you're a fan of campy horror movies, then Leprechaun is definitely worth checking out. Just don't expect to be scared - this movie is more likely to make you laugh than scream.
Warwick Davis's leprechaun performance is legendary. Leprechaun believes a family stole his gold in the film. He hunts them with cunning and power. The family searches for riches to appease the leprechaun and protect him from hurting them. Davis's terrifying performance makes Leprechaun a classic horror flick.
In what was supposed to be a more straightforward horror flick, Davis added some comedic touches as the Leprechaun.
Leprechaun movie summary:
In 1983, Dan O'Grady traveled to Ireland, the country of his origin, and while there, he abducted a leprechaun and stole the pot of gold that he was guarding. He then returned to his home in North Dakota. After O'Grady buried the wealth, he came to the conclusion that the evil leprechaun had followed him back to his house and murdered his wife. With the use of a clover with four leaves, O'Grady is able to control the leprechaun's skills and confine him inside a container. He had a stroke just in time to stop him from setting him on fire.
Ten years later, J. D. Redding and his teenage daughter Tory rent the O'Grady farmhouse for the summer. Painting the farmhouse is a job for Nathan Murphy, his 10-year-old brother Alex, and their friend Ozzie Jones, who works as a contract worker. Ozzie hears the leprechaun calling for help while he is searching the basement. He thinks the leprechaun is a small child. He lets the leprechaun out of the box by taking out the old four-leaf clover. Ozzie asks the leprechaun who he is. The leprechaun tells Ozzie that he is an Irish shoemaker who came to America to find his fortune. Ozzie fails to convince the others that he saw a leprechaun. He then sees a rainbow and follows it, hoping to find a pot of gold. Alex goes with him because he is afraid Ozzie will hurt himself. Before Ozzie, a magic trick makes a bag with 100 gold coins appear. After Ozzie checks it out and accidentally eats a coin, they hide the gold in an old well. They did this because they thought it would heal Ozzie's brain.
The farm's leprechaun fools J. D. into slipping into a trap by impersonating a cat and biting and injuring his hand. After Tory and the others take him to the hospital, the leprechaun rides a tricycle. When Alex and Ozzie go to a pawn shop to inspect the purity of the gold, the leprechaun kills the owner, Joe, and polishes Joe's shoes before fleeing. On his way back to the farmhouse, the leprechaun builds himself a go-kart and gets pulled over by a policeman for speeding. The leprechaun chases the policeman into the woods, where the leprechaun eventually murders the cop. The leprechaun returns to the home in search of his wealth, sparkling every shoe he sees. After leaving J. D. off at the hospital, the group returns to the farmhouse. When Nathan goes outside to check after finding it robbed, he is injured by a leprechaun-set bear trap. Outside, the gang assaults and beats the leprechaun with rocks and clubs.
After finding a gun in the house, the residents take many shots at the leprechaun. After trying to depart the site, they find that the truck's engine has been wrecked by the leprechaun. After crashing the car with the go-kart, the leprechaun terrorizes the group until Ozzie and Alex confess that they found the pot of gold. Tory fishes the purse out of the well and presents it to the leprechaun. Having decided that the worst is over, they go to the hospital. As the leprechaun tallies his gold, he learns that Ozzie stole the last coin. He threatens them because he thinks they're trying to trick him, but Ozzie reveals that O'Grady had a stroke and was taken to the hospital. The group distracts the leprechaun by throwing dirty shoes to him, and he ends up going to shine them as Tory drives off in her vehicle. To learn the secret of killing the leprechaun, Tory travels to the home.
At the nursing home, the leprechaun is acting under the guise of O'Grady. Tory is pursued by the leprechaun until they reach an elevator. The leprechaun then throws O'Grady's mutilated body down the elevator shaft as Tory flees. Before he passes away, O'Grady gives her the warning that the only way to kill the leprechaun is with a four-leaf clover, which just so happens to grow in a vast area outside the farm. O'Grady's death puts an end to the conversation. Tory returns to the farmhouse in an attempt to locate a clover, but the leprechaun ambushes her there, and Nathan and Ozzie are required to rescue her. During his pursuit of the last gold coin, the leprechaun suffers serious injuries while trying to retrieve it from Ozzie, who later admits that he swallowed it. Before the leprechaun can kill Ozzie, Alex takes a four-leaf clover that Tory found, fastens it to a wad of gum, and shoots it into the leprechaun's mouth. This causes the leprechaun to disintegrate and disappear. In spite of the fact that it had fallen into the well, the skeleton of the leprechaun managed to come out and proclaim, "I want my gold." After Nathan has successfully coaxed the leprechaun back into the well, he then lights both of the things on fire using gasoline. When the police arrive, Tory is able to get back together with her father, get married to Nathan, and have a kid with him. While the authorities look through the remains of the well, the leprechaun makes an oath that he won't give up until he recovers every last piece of his fortune.
On January 8, 1993, Leprechaun was released in 620 cinemas and grossed $2,493,020 in its first week, totaling $8,556,940. It was published on VHS by Vidmark in April 1993 and sold over 100,000 copies.
Leprechaun was released on January 8, 1993, in 620 theaters and took in $2,493,020 its opening week, ultimately earning $8,556,940 in the United States. Vidmark released it on VHS in April 1993, and it sold over 100,000 copies.
Leprechaun debate explained:
Prior to the film's debut, Trimark teamed together with the NBA, the NYSE, Domino's Pizza, and Subway to spread word of mouth about the film. Franchisees of both Domino's and Subway believed they were being taken advantage of by the companies when they joined together. Nonetheless, the advertising drive was successful, and Leprechaun is still regarded by many as a classic in its own right.
Did Leprechaun have any cinematic sequels?
The Leprechaun travels to Los Angeles in pursuit of more riches in the sequel, Leprechaun 2, which was released the following year. Leprechaun 3 is set in Sin City, and it's here that the Leprechaun finally gets his hands on the wish-granting coin. Leprechaun 4: In Space is a break from the other films in the series since it is set on a spacecraft and the Leprechaun fights aliens. In the fifth and final installment of the franchise, titled Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood, the titular character goes back to his urban Los Angeles neighborhood. Despite the franchise's generally unfavorable reviews, Leprechaun has proved to be a hit with audiences and has become a cult favorite.
Leprechaun movie trivia
Several scenes had to be re-shot after the producers insisted that the film be made gorier to appeal to older audiences.
It's well-known that George Lucas had a role in casting Warwick Davis in Willow. What's less well-known is the reason why. Apparently, Davis was under contract to Lucas, and Lucas had to provide authorization for him to appear in the movie. As a consequence, he was granted a "special thanks" credit at the conclusion of the film. This little-known truth makes the movie much more appealing for horror movie enthusiasts. It's simply another example of Lucas's effect on popular culture.
The leprechaun was intended to flee to Ireland at first. But there was one problem: Warwick Davis, the Irish actor who played the leprechaun, did not have a work visa. Davis needed to secure a visa in three days to shoot the last sequence, which would have been impossible under normal conditions. Fortunately, Vice President Dan Quayle's administration was able to expedite the procedure, allowing Davis to complete shooting on time. Quayle earned a "special thanks" credit at the conclusion of the film for his services.
Warwick Davis was starting to regret making the picture, but because of Anniston's subsequent popularity on television, many people rented it, resulting in a lengthy run of sequels. It is said to be one of Warwick's particular favorites.
Leprechaun was Jennifer Aniston's first full-length movie.
Leprechaun is a must-see for every aficionado of the horror genre. Warwick Davis and Jennifer Aniston provide outstanding performances in (this blog) what is perhaps one of the few horror flicks that manages to be both hilarious and spooky at the same time. In spite of its derivative narrative, the film is entertaining. Look into Leprechaun if you need a good fright. In other words, you won't be let down.